Cabinet Line-Up To Show Thaksin's Resolve

[webfact]

BURNING ISSUE

Cabinet line-up to show Thaksin's resolve

By Piyanart Srivalo

The Nation

Unlike the party's previous administration, the formation of a Pheu Thai-led government does not seem to entail much activity on the part of its membership because the final decision falls to just one person, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Thaksin this time aims to form the Cabinet with people who have a good image. It is expected there will be four or five outsiders joining his sister Yingluck's ministerial line-up.

Well-known and much-experienced outsiders such as the executive chairman of Siam Commercial Bank, Vichit Surapongchai, ex-president of the Stock Exchange of Thailand Kittiratt na Ranong and former ambassador Vikrom Koompirochana are among the people tipped to take up the economic and foreign-affairs portfolios in the Pheu Thai-led government.

These people would enable his sister's first Cabinet to meet the demands of public sentiment, and therefore to last longer.

Moreover, Thaksin will appoint people who can tolerate different views and are ready to work with all parties as ministers in security-related posts, such as the deputy prime minister overseeing security issues, and at the Interior and Defence ministries.

"Thaksin wants those who can tolerate criticism, and not people who immediately counter what is said. He doesn't want the 'hard core' as ministers, as they would love to create violence and destroy the atmosphere of reconciliation, and especially the image of Yingluck's first Cabinet," a key Pheu Thai member said.

However, Thaksin's good intentions could have bad results because of inner pressure from factions in the party.

Pheu Thai MPs are furious about the appointment of outsiders. As of now, the party will get 30 Cabinet seats but, if Thaksin decides to choose five outsiders, only 25 posts will be available for party MPs. Currently, there are more candidates than the number of vacant Cabinet posts for Pheu Thai.

Yingluck will not reveal the names of all her Cabinet members before she is voted in as the country's first female prime minister by the House tomorrow. Otherwise, those who were heartbroken at being left out would not automatically support her in the crucial vote, and might use the occasion to bargain for Cabinet positions.

"Our master [Thaksin] would like the voting to be as unified as possible," a party source said.

Moreover, some of the Pheu Thai candidates, such as Olarn Chaipravat, a key member of the party's economic team, former finance minister Suchart Thadathamrongvej and outspoken Chalerm Yoobumrung, have failed to make it into the final Cabinet line-up, despite earlier being among the leading candidates.

"They are starting to get upset. They have helped the party since the beginning, but when the mission is about to be completed, the [economic ministers] posts will be given to outsiders," the source said.

Not to mention the red-shirt leaders, who seemingly would have to be left out of the line-up as well if Thaksin really wanted to enhance the process of reconciliation. Moreover, he will have to arrange posts for his party strategy teams, veteran MPs and representatives from different regions.

It remains to be seen whether Thaksin really wants reconciliation, and the first true indicator will be the make-up of his sister's debut Cabinet.

-- The Nation 2011-08-04

[Thaddeus]

"Our master [Thaksin] would like the voting to be as unified as possible," a party source said.

Our head cook would like the gravy train to be as pliable as possible a sauce said.

[Siripon]

The Pheua Thai MPs can't complain, they have always been mere employees of their great overseas master with no say in appointments- true Pheua Thai democracy in action.

They even had to sign a letter of resignation, undated, and hand it to the great leader before they had the right to stand as MPs!

Such dignity, such honour.

[Bagwan]

"Our master [Thaksin] would like the voting to be as unified as possible," a party source said.

Our head cook would like the gravy train to be as pliable as possible a sauce said.

A comment worthy of the divine Oscar. Many thanks for the whimsy.

Another from Wilde to cogitate over. Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people for the people.

[janverbeem]

.

They even had to sign a letter of resignation, undated, and hand it to the great leader before they had the right to stand as MPs!

Any source for that?

[jayboy]

The Pheua Thai MPs can't complain, they have always been mere employees of their great overseas master with no say in appointments- true Pheua Thai democracy in action.

They even had to sign a letter of resignation, undated, and hand it to the great leader before they had the right to stand as MPs!

Such dignity, such honour.

I've always felt that obtaining an undated letter of resignation from new employees was rather a smart way to go!

As to Siripon's post itself the new government just can't win with some people.I would have thought aiming for a cabinet with clean and well qualified people was on the whole a good thing.Perhaps Siripon has a nostalgia for the outgoing government with its well documented examples of incompetence and corruption.

However I'm not naive.In practice good intentions will probably take second place to political expediency in the end.And yet..and yet, a clean government of well qualified people is politically smart too.

[otherstuff1957]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.   

  It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Edited August 4, 2011 by otherstuff1957

[jayboy]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.   

  It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Quite so.On the other hand take the British House of Commons as an example.How many MPs there are truly independent of the Whips Office? In practice almost none.In effect they are...well, employees for want of a better word.

[hammered]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.   

  It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Quite so.On the other hand take the British House of Commons as an example.How many MPs there are truly independent of the Whips Office? In practice almost none.In effect they are...well, employees for want of a better word.

And how many US republican members of congress are paid contributors to fox? There are also lobbyist and financial backer issues that dog all western democracies. Reality is elected representatives rarely represent those who elect them but rather others they are beholden to.

I actually think that Thaksin wants a period of good governance to raise the popularity of the new government even more. He is sharp enough to know after the incompetance of the past few years that people will warm to a functioning government, and that will make other things easier in the future and make it difficult for unelected bodies to undermine the government. That PTP have an overall majority and hence arent beholden to lunatic small parties (as the Dems were) also means coordinating policy and making tough calls will be easier. Anyway time will tell and there will always be people in a party who arent so happy at missing out.

[Siripon]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.   

  It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Quite so.On the other hand take the British House of Commons as an example.How many MPs there are truly independent of the Whips Office? In practice almost none.In effect they are...well, employees for want of a better word.

And how many US republican members of congress are paid contributors to fox? There are also lobbyist and financial backer issues that dog all western democracies. Reality is elected representatives rarely represent those who elect them but rather others they are beholden to.

I actually think that Thaksin wants a period of good governance to raise the popularity of the new government even more. He is sharp enough to know after the incompetance of the past few years that people will warm to a functioning government, and that will make other things easier in the future and make it difficult for unelected bodies to undermine the government. That PTP have an overall majority and hence arent beholden to lunatic small parties (as the Dems were) also means coordinating policy and making tough calls will be easier. Anyway time will tell and there will always be people in a party who arent so happy at missing out.

So Thaksin will be using unelected Ministers, up to 5 if reports are true. Hey, that's not true democracy, the Issan MPs were duly elected,they have the right to representation in the Cabinet, true democracy.

Come on red shirts! Protest immediately at this travesty and distortion of democracy!

[sfbandung]

Will she really not stand up to her brother at all? The article virtually discounts her altogether.

Yeah, yeah I'm a newbie. But does she have any personality at all? Will she even make a plaintive attempt at putting her own stamp on the cabinet?

[phiphidon]

I'll be more inclined to take Piyanart Srivalo's articles seriously when he quotes real people and not "a key Pheu Thai member", "a Party Source", "the source said"...............

The OP, One article containing three quotes to back up the authors slant, all non attributable.

For the sake of balance, have a look at this article entitled "Who can lead the Thai Democrats?" http://www.nationmul...y-30160746.html

One article containing three quotes, this time four unattributable sources "one Southern Democrat MP", "Another key figure in the party", "a source close to Abhisit", "A party source"

Another classic entitled"Leadership a vexing issue for Pheu Thai" http://www.nationmul...i-30146278.html

(where the author optomistically points out that "The Democrats appear to be in a far better position and better prepared than Pheu Thai as Thai politics now enters election mode." whereas

"the opposition party seems to be in despair")

One article containing four quotes, four unattributable sources, "one key party leader of Pheu Thai", "the party key man said", "the source said", "the source said"

Not one "real" named source in any of the articles. Now I understand that politicians and others make comments "off the record" but basing entire articles on unnamed sources is just irresponsible journalism in my opinion.

Is it really a coincidence that all of these articles are "Opinion" pieces?

[h90]

Will she really not stand up to her brother at all? The article virtually discounts her altogether.

Yeah, yeah I'm a newbie. But does she have any personality at all? Will she even make a plaintive attempt at putting her own stamp on the cabinet?

Why should she?

It is running well so far. Why should she want to put her own stamp on?

Chinese family business, it is about money not about who put what stamps on.

[Crushdepth]

My sister is not a puppet

[Bakseedaa]

.

They even had to sign a letter of resignation, undated, and hand it to the great leader before they had the right to stand as MPs!

Any source for that?

Did you not mean to say...any sauce for that..?

[scorecard]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.   

  It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Sure, they are the employees (or you could call it club members in the paymasters pyramid scheme. 'Hey come join my club, get big benefits'.

[Bakseedaa]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.

It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Quite so.On the other hand take the British House of Commons as an example.How many MPs there are truly independent of the Whips Office? In practice almost none.In effect they are...well, employees for want of a better word.

And how many US republican members of congress are paid contributors to fox? There are also lobbyist and financial backer issues that dog all western democracies. Reality is elected representatives rarely represent those who elect them but rather others they are beholden to.

I actually think that Thaksin wants a period of good governance to raise the popularity of the new government even more. He is sharp enough to know after the incompetance of the past few years that people will warm to a functioning government, and that will make other things easier in the future and make it difficult for unelected bodies to undermine the government. That PTP have an overall majority and hence arent beholden to lunatic small parties (as the Dems were) also means coordinating policy and making tough calls will be easier. Anyway time will tell and there will always be people in a party who arent so happy at missing out.

I don,t think Mr T cares what You think... or I for that matter.. Its all about the money and nothing else... get it..? Those cabinet ministers pay for their jobs... get it..? no money...You don,t get it..!

[hammered]

I don't think that any of us have a problem with a clean, competent cabinet, and I, for one, would welcome reconciliation.

It's the definition of MPs as 'employees' that I find disturbing.

Quite so.On the other hand take the British House of Commons as an example.How many MPs there are truly independent of the Whips Office? In practice almost none.In effect they are...well, employees for want of a better word.

And how many US republican members of congress are paid contributors to fox? There are also lobbyist and financial backer issues that dog all western democracies. Reality is elected representatives rarely represent those who elect them but rather others they are beholden to.

I actually think that Thaksin wants a period of good governance to raise the popularity of the new government even more. He is sharp enough to know after the incompetance of the past few years that people will warm to a functioning government, and that will make other things easier in the future and make it difficult for unelected bodies to undermine the government. That PTP have an overall majority and hence arent beholden to lunatic small parties (as the Dems were) also means coordinating policy and making tough calls will be easier. Anyway time will tell and there will always be people in a party who arent so happy at missing out.

I don,t think Mr T cares what You think... or I for that matter.. Its all about the money and nothing else... get it..? Those cabinet ministers pay for their jobs... get it..? no money...You don,t get it..!

Of course he doesnt care what we think. However, this isnt a conventional cabinet game right now. There are several other issues and games that go beyond money, or at least money at this point in time

[hansnoi]

I'll be more inclined to take Piyanart Srivalo's articles seriously when he quotes real people and not "a key Pheu Thai member", "a Party Source", "the source said"...............

The OP, One article containing three quotes to back up the authors slant, all non attributable.

For the sake of balance, have a look at this article entitled "Who can lead the Thai Democrats?" http://www.nationmul...y-30160746.html

One article containing three quotes, this time four unattributable sources "one Southern Democrat MP", "Another key figure in the party", "a source close to Abhisit", "A party source"

Another classic entitled"Leadership a vexing issue for Pheu Thai" http://www.nationmul...i-30146278.html

(where the author optomistically points out that "The Democrats appear to be in a far better position and better prepared than Pheu Thai as Thai politics now enters election mode." whereas

"the opposition party seems to be in despair")

One article containing four quotes, four unattributable sources, "one key party leader of Pheu Thai", "the party key man said", "the source said", "the source said"

Not one "real" named source in any of the articles. Now I understand that politicians and others make comments "off the record" but basing entire articles on unnamed sources is just irresponsible journalism in my opinion.

Is it really a coincidence that all of these articles are "Opinion" pieces?

Not at all. Opinion it is. The presentation of anonymous sources and style of writing just serves the image of 'objectivity' and tries to demonstrate how well informed the writer is. Thanks for your research.

[Skywalker69]

My sister is not a puppet

Clone?

[ginjag]

Will she really not stand up to her brother at all? The article virtually discounts her altogether.

Yeah, yeah I'm a newbie. But does she have any personality at all? Will she even make a plaintive attempt at putting her own stamp on the cabinet?

She wouldn't know a cabinet if she was in a furniture store. And here we go again =Thaksin said this Thaksin wants that, thaksin to choose these, Is there a open mobile line between Thaksin and Forum??? all we get is this junk, from this past P.M.

I for one are getting turned off by the barrage and broadsides from him. Like many more past posters who do not now post, because of topics with Thaksin plastered everywhere. If Yingluck cannot do the job alone for god sake get somebody who can.